Author's Note: Careful, I have released two chapters at once. So if you are one of my regular readers, don't just read the last chapter, but the last two. :-)
Chapter 50
The place was crowded when they arrived. A couple of camera teams were gathered around, their trailers parked in front of the convention center. Kazuya got a pair of sunglasses out of the pocket of the coat he was wearing.
"Let's try to get inside unnoticed." he whispered to Lara.
"Agreed."
They sneaked inside, staying unnoticed in the crowd.
"I hate getting too much attention." Kazuya said when they were inside. "Promise me one thing: Later tonight, we will try and get out as quietly as we got in. I am not willing to give an interview."
"Sure. I don't want to be stuck here for long either. Especially not with your father breathing down my neck."
"Now that you mention it. Be careful while I'm gone. I am certain he is here tonight. He will use the attention of the press to announce his silly idea. Try to avoid him."
"I'll try."
"Ok. Then I will see you after the fight."
"Good l..."
"Don't even say it!"
"Sorry."
"See you later." he said, leaned in and kissed Lara. Then he left her in the hall.
Lara made her way into the arena. When she arrived at her seat she was pleased to see Lei sitting in the next chair. He smiled at her when he saw her approaching.
"Hello ... we have been sitting next to each other a couple of times but I still didn't get your name."
"Lara Croft."
"Lei Wulong." the man replied.
Just when she wanted to say something she was interrupted by someone shouting with an Irish accent.
Lara turned around to see Nina and Anna facing each other, both moving into fighting stance. They were separated by security guards.
"The Williams Sisters." Lei said. "They are always fighting. They just can't stand each other. You should have been here a couple of months back when Anna found out that her boyfriend dumped her for Nina. That was a mess. They almost killed each other."
'Dumped her for Nina?' Lara wondered. 'Could he be talking about Chaolan? Has he been dating Anna before Nina?' Lara again looked at the two girls who were escorted out of the arena.
When she turned back around she already saw the announcer making his way to the ring. And one after another Lee and Kazuya entered the ring. Lee was wearing black trousers and a violet shirt. Kazuya was wearing simple white gi pants again.
The announcer left the ring and the fight started.
"Hey Kazuya, I heard you've been shot yesterday? I don't really want to fight you, it wouldn't be fair." Lee teased his brother right at the beginning.
"Shut up. Me fighting against you will never be fair. I don't mind if you forfeit now."
"Certainly you wouldn't. Saves you the embarrassment of losing against your younger brother, doesn't it?"
"Lee, stop talking. Let's get it over with." Kazuya said angry.
Lee began the fight with a couple of kicks but Kazuya blocked them all. He waited for the right moment when Lee would leave his defences open and then punched him in the stomach with such a force of his right fist that Lee was catapulted back and landed on the floor. Lee rolled and got up onto his feet, he crouched down into defensive position and approached Kazuya carefully. Kazuya attacked him but Lee managed to kick him before he could react. Kazuya still managed to get his punches through and Lee staggered backwards. He got some distance between them and started kicking again. But Kazuya took the necessary step back that brought him out of reach. Then when Lee closed the gap between them, he raised his leg and brought it down on Lee's head. Lee dropped down onto his knees. Kazuya waited to see what happened, but Lee rolled away, got up quickly and attacked with a series of well placed kicks which sent Kazuya to the floor. He rolled backwards over his shoulders and got up to a standing position in one swift move. Lee wanted to push him further back but Kazuya blocked his punches and kicked him. Lee staggered but then placed his own kicks sending Kazuya down again. When he got back to his feet quickly. Then he hit Lee with two punches in the stomach and when Lee staggered he used the chance to spin around and kick him across the chest. Now Lee went down again. He got up and jumped into the air to catch Kazuya with a drop kick. But he crouched and Lee missed. When he landed he felt Kazuya's fist connecting to his head. Kazuya send a kick after the fallen Lee.
Lee groaned and got up to his feet slowly. When he had gotten up again they exchanged a series of kicks and punches and finally Lee hit the ground once more. Kazuya leaped up in the air and came down spinning around sweeping Lee who was just getting up, off his feet. Lee rolled out of reach and got back to his feet. Before Kazuya could react he was in the air again unleashing a series of kicks. Kazuya staggered, but then managed to block the punches that followed and grabbed Lee's left arm.
Lee knew what that meant and tried to get out of there but he couldn't. Kazuya's foot hit him at the back of the head, nearly causing Lee to crash onto the ground, but the grip on his arm was too tight and he couldn't get out and on the way back Kazuya's foot hit him in the face as well. Lee fell back onto the floor. He was holding his nose for a second. Then he scrambled up to his feet. Kazuya obviously thought that he had done considerable damage as he waited for Lee to act and he did. He brought up his leg and kicked Kazuya on the head. One move that should have been very familiar to Kazuya since Lee had adopted this move from the Mishima Style. Lee then changed his tactics and added a few middle kicks. Kazuya staggered and then Lee added some punches to Kazuya's left shoulder. He bent over in pain and then Lee placed a kick against his chest which sent his brother down.
When Kazuya got up Lee was waiting. He did a somersault and his feet hit Kazuya in the face and he was sent down again. It took him a moment to get back onto his feet. But when he did he got right into defensive position. Lee's punch was blocked and Kazuya unleashed his own fist attack. When Lee was bending over and was about to sink onto his knees Kazuya brought up his fist with enormous speed from below and Lee fell backwards. Kazuya kicked Lee while he got up. Lee did a low kick and then swept across the floor to bring Kazuya down again. But he had moved sideways and only staggered for a moment. He then blocked the series of punches Lee wanted to add. Again he grabbed Lee's arm and did another double face kick. Lee stayed on the floor long enough for Kazuya to stomp on him. When Lee had gotten up onto his feet, Kazuya approached him quickly, crouched down and leaped up with an uppercut that caught Lee on his chin. He fell back, hitting the ground hard.
"You better give up now." Kazuya said to him leaning down.
"You wish." Lee replied.
"Yes, I do. I don't want to explain to Lara or anybody else why I broke your neck."
"Get lost." Lee hissed and got up to his feet.
He hesitated a moment before he tried to start another attack. Enough time for Kazuya to set up his rising uppercut. Lee landed hard, hitting his head on the ground. He tried to get up again. Then clutched his head, staggered and went down again.
The fight was ended and Kazuya was declared winner while some medics attended to Lee's wounds. He had been unconscious for a second, but was now back. Kazuya leaned down towards his brother.
"Are you alright Chaolan?"
He grunted in reply.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." Kazuya said and then left the ring.
He was immediately surrounded by camera teams, but he just ignored them and marched on into the changing room. They didn't dare to step in his path.
Chapter 50
The place was crowded when they arrived. A couple of camera teams were gathered around, their trailers parked in front of the convention center. Kazuya got a pair of sunglasses out of the pocket of the coat he was wearing.
"Let's try to get inside unnoticed." he whispered to Lara.
"Agreed."
They sneaked inside, staying unnoticed in the crowd.
"I hate getting too much attention." Kazuya said when they were inside. "Promise me one thing: Later tonight, we will try and get out as quietly as we got in. I am not willing to give an interview."
"Sure. I don't want to be stuck here for long either. Especially not with your father breathing down my neck."
"Now that you mention it. Be careful while I'm gone. I am certain he is here tonight. He will use the attention of the press to announce his silly idea. Try to avoid him."
"I'll try."
"Ok. Then I will see you after the fight."
"Good l..."
"Don't even say it!"
"Sorry."
"See you later." he said, leaned in and kissed Lara. Then he left her in the hall.
Lara made her way into the arena. When she arrived at her seat she was pleased to see Lei sitting in the next chair. He smiled at her when he saw her approaching.
"Hello ... we have been sitting next to each other a couple of times but I still didn't get your name."
"Lara Croft."
"Lei Wulong." the man replied.
Just when she wanted to say something she was interrupted by someone shouting with an Irish accent.
Lara turned around to see Nina and Anna facing each other, both moving into fighting stance. They were separated by security guards.
"The Williams Sisters." Lei said. "They are always fighting. They just can't stand each other. You should have been here a couple of months back when Anna found out that her boyfriend dumped her for Nina. That was a mess. They almost killed each other."
'Dumped her for Nina?' Lara wondered. 'Could he be talking about Chaolan? Has he been dating Anna before Nina?' Lara again looked at the two girls who were escorted out of the arena.
When she turned back around she already saw the announcer making his way to the ring. And one after another Lee and Kazuya entered the ring. Lee was wearing black trousers and a violet shirt. Kazuya was wearing simple white gi pants again.
The announcer left the ring and the fight started.
"Hey Kazuya, I heard you've been shot yesterday? I don't really want to fight you, it wouldn't be fair." Lee teased his brother right at the beginning.
"Shut up. Me fighting against you will never be fair. I don't mind if you forfeit now."
"Certainly you wouldn't. Saves you the embarrassment of losing against your younger brother, doesn't it?"
"Lee, stop talking. Let's get it over with." Kazuya said angry.
Lee began the fight with a couple of kicks but Kazuya blocked them all. He waited for the right moment when Lee would leave his defences open and then punched him in the stomach with such a force of his right fist that Lee was catapulted back and landed on the floor. Lee rolled and got up onto his feet, he crouched down into defensive position and approached Kazuya carefully. Kazuya attacked him but Lee managed to kick him before he could react. Kazuya still managed to get his punches through and Lee staggered backwards. He got some distance between them and started kicking again. But Kazuya took the necessary step back that brought him out of reach. Then when Lee closed the gap between them, he raised his leg and brought it down on Lee's head. Lee dropped down onto his knees. Kazuya waited to see what happened, but Lee rolled away, got up quickly and attacked with a series of well placed kicks which sent Kazuya to the floor. He rolled backwards over his shoulders and got up to a standing position in one swift move. Lee wanted to push him further back but Kazuya blocked his punches and kicked him. Lee staggered but then placed his own kicks sending Kazuya down again. When he got back to his feet quickly. Then he hit Lee with two punches in the stomach and when Lee staggered he used the chance to spin around and kick him across the chest. Now Lee went down again. He got up and jumped into the air to catch Kazuya with a drop kick. But he crouched and Lee missed. When he landed he felt Kazuya's fist connecting to his head. Kazuya send a kick after the fallen Lee.
Lee groaned and got up to his feet slowly. When he had gotten up again they exchanged a series of kicks and punches and finally Lee hit the ground once more. Kazuya leaped up in the air and came down spinning around sweeping Lee who was just getting up, off his feet. Lee rolled out of reach and got back to his feet. Before Kazuya could react he was in the air again unleashing a series of kicks. Kazuya staggered, but then managed to block the punches that followed and grabbed Lee's left arm.
Lee knew what that meant and tried to get out of there but he couldn't. Kazuya's foot hit him at the back of the head, nearly causing Lee to crash onto the ground, but the grip on his arm was too tight and he couldn't get out and on the way back Kazuya's foot hit him in the face as well. Lee fell back onto the floor. He was holding his nose for a second. Then he scrambled up to his feet. Kazuya obviously thought that he had done considerable damage as he waited for Lee to act and he did. He brought up his leg and kicked Kazuya on the head. One move that should have been very familiar to Kazuya since Lee had adopted this move from the Mishima Style. Lee then changed his tactics and added a few middle kicks. Kazuya staggered and then Lee added some punches to Kazuya's left shoulder. He bent over in pain and then Lee placed a kick against his chest which sent his brother down.
When Kazuya got up Lee was waiting. He did a somersault and his feet hit Kazuya in the face and he was sent down again. It took him a moment to get back onto his feet. But when he did he got right into defensive position. Lee's punch was blocked and Kazuya unleashed his own fist attack. When Lee was bending over and was about to sink onto his knees Kazuya brought up his fist with enormous speed from below and Lee fell backwards. Kazuya kicked Lee while he got up. Lee did a low kick and then swept across the floor to bring Kazuya down again. But he had moved sideways and only staggered for a moment. He then blocked the series of punches Lee wanted to add. Again he grabbed Lee's arm and did another double face kick. Lee stayed on the floor long enough for Kazuya to stomp on him. When Lee had gotten up onto his feet, Kazuya approached him quickly, crouched down and leaped up with an uppercut that caught Lee on his chin. He fell back, hitting the ground hard.
"You better give up now." Kazuya said to him leaning down.
"You wish." Lee replied.
"Yes, I do. I don't want to explain to Lara or anybody else why I broke your neck."
"Get lost." Lee hissed and got up to his feet.
He hesitated a moment before he tried to start another attack. Enough time for Kazuya to set up his rising uppercut. Lee landed hard, hitting his head on the ground. He tried to get up again. Then clutched his head, staggered and went down again.
The fight was ended and Kazuya was declared winner while some medics attended to Lee's wounds. He had been unconscious for a second, but was now back. Kazuya leaned down towards his brother.
"Are you alright Chaolan?"
He grunted in reply.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." Kazuya said and then left the ring.
He was immediately surrounded by camera teams, but he just ignored them and marched on into the changing room. They didn't dare to step in his path.
